Indicator for drawers



u 1930' J. R. CALDWELL 1,768,113

INDICATOR FOR DRAWERS Filed J1me 1929 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITEDSTATES PATNT 1'1 .ToHN RUSSELL CALDWELL, on YOUNGSTOWN, 01:10, 'AssIeNonTO THE GENERAL FIREBROOFING COMPANY, on YouNesrow 01510, ACORIE'OR-ATION on 0310 drawers,

INDICATOR FOR DRAWERS Application filed June 4,

This invention relates to visual indicators, and has for its generalobject to provide a manually operable visual indicator especiallyadapted for use on stock containing cabinet for adjustment by a clerk orother person, to indicate the approximate amount of stock in any givendrawer, and to advise the person in charge of the stock of the need forreplenishing same.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a stockcondition indicator for cabinet drawers which is efficient for itspurpose and which is capable of being produced and installed atrelatively slight expense, same being especially adapted forinstallation in a well known and widely used form of metallic drawerconstruction merely by the addition of a simple'indicator support to thedrawer and the formation in the drawer of'a sight opening and a slot toaccommodate'theindicator actuating element- With the foregoing and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in the novel features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as'will behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and defined in the appended claims. In the drawings, whereinlike characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the diflerentviews "Fig. 1 isa front elevation of a cabinet drawer equipped-with thepresent indicating means.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4: is a front elevation of the indicator.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A

designates, generally, a metallic cabinet drawer of a well knowncommercial design, same consisting, in accordance with commonconstruction, of side walls 10, a bottom wall 11, a front wall 12,forwardly extending flanges 13 and l t at the sides and bottom of thedrawer respectively, and a finishing plate 15 secured against theforward edges of the flanges 13 and 14: and covering the front of thedrawer. This construction results in the 1929. Serial No. 368,374." 2

formation of a narrow compartment .16 at the front of the drawer,between the front wall, 12 and the finishing plate 15, and in accordancewith the invention" this compartment is utilized for the accommodationof the present indicating means.

As best illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the present indicatingmeans consists essentially of a plate 17, preferably of greater lengththan width, provided on its front face with two or more contrastingcolors arranged in bands disposed adjacent to one another longitudinallyof the plate. In accordance vwith the invention, one of these bandspreferably is of the same color as the front of the finishing plate 15.

To adapt the drawer A to have the indicator 17 operatively embodiedtherein, an opening or window 18 is formed through the finishing plate15 at any desired point and behind this opening the front wall 12 of thedrawer has formed therein a longitudinally extending slot 19. Inaddition, a shelf 20 is secured either to the front face of the wall 12or to the rear face of the finishing plate 15, below the window 18, toprovide a support for the indicator 17.

The indicator plate 17, which preferably is formed at its top and bottomwith rearwardly directed stiffening flanges 21, is adapted to besupported within the compartment 16 upon the shelf 20 for longitudinalsliding movement, and to this end a handle 22 is formed on or secured toone of the flanges 21 so, as to extend rearwardly through the slot 19,when the indicator is disposed upon the shelf 20, for manualmanipulation to effect sliding movement of the indicator. It will benoted in this connection that the lower stiflening flange 21 provides arelatively wide bearing surface for engagement with the shelf 20 andthatsaid flanges are of. such width as to cooperate at their rear edges withthe front face of the wall 12 to maintain the front face of theindicator plate 1? in engagement with or closely adjacent to the rearface ofthe finishing plate 15, and to prevent skewing movement of theindicator plate within the compartment 16during sliding movementthereof.

When the indicator plate is supported on the shelf 20 its front face isdisposed in covering relation to the window 18. The color bands on saidplate are at least as wide as said window and thus it is manifest thatby slidably adjusting said plate only one of the color bands thereon maybe rendered visible through the window, or part of one andpart ofanother of said color bands may be rendered visible through the window.v

The operation of the indicator is apparent and as follows: When thedrawer contains a satisfactory amount of stock the indicator plate willbe adjusted to a position in which only one of the colors on its outerface is visible through the window 18, and as the stock becomes depletedthe indicator plate may be moved step by step to positions in whichprogressively greater areas of another of the colors on its outer facebecomes visible through the window, thereby to indicate to a person.looking at the front of the drawer the approximate amount of stockcontained therein.- Preferably, when the drawer contains a satisfactoryamount of stock, the indicator will be adjusted to dispose thecolor bandcorresponding to the color of the finishing plate 15 in alinement withthe window 18 and the other color band or hands on the indicator platepreferably will be of some bright attention attracting'contrasting colorsuch as orange, red or the like. As will be apparent, the indicatorplate may be adjusted so that either of the color bands is normallyvisible through the window 18. This form of stock condition indicatorfor drawers is particularly useful when a drawer is provided with fixedor ad ustable partitions as indicated at 23 in Fig. 1 of the drawingswhich preclude the satisfactory installa tion of means within the draweroperable by the stock therein to indicate the condition of the stock.

Without further description it is thought that the features andadvantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and it will of course be understood thatchanges in the form,proportion and minor details of construction be resorted to, withoutdeparting from the spirit-of the invention and scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a vertical wall havf" ing a window openingtherein and a shelf located at the rear of said wall, an indicatingelement for cooperation with said window inclusive of a vertical flatside disposed so that by longitudinal movement of the element differentportions of the vertical flat side thereof are exposed to view throughsaid window, said element further being inclusive of a flat horizontallyand rearwardly extending portion slidably resting on said shelf and co-.exposed to View through-said window,

may

operating with the latter to maintain said I vertical flat side in avertical position.

2. In combination with a vertical wall havin a window 0 enin therein anda shelf t) 23 located at the rear of said wall, an indicate ing elementfor cooperation with said window inclusive of a vertical flat sidedisposed so that by longitudinal movement of the element differentportions of the vertical flat side thereof are exposed to view throughsaid window, said element further being inclusive of a flat horizontallyand rearwardly extending portion slidably resting on said shelf, andmeans with which the rear edge of said last mentioned portion cooperatesto main-' posed to view through said window and up- 7 per and lowerhorizontal rearwardly extending flanges one of which slidably rests uponsaid support and the other of which isv provided with means forefiecting sliding adjustment of said element.

4. In combination with front and rear walls disposed. vertically inspaced relation,

the front wall having a window opening therein, an indicating platemounted behind said front wall so that by longitudinal movement thereofdifferent portions thereof are port between said walls, said indicatingplate having upper and lower spaced horizontal rearwardextensions'cooperating with said rear wall to maintain said indicatingplate in cooperative relation to said front wall, one 1 of said rearwardextensions serving to slidably support said indicating platev on saidsupport. 7

5. An indicator of the character described comprising a member adaptedto, be mounted for movement behind a wall having a window openingtherein whereby dilierent portions of said member areadapted to beexposed to view through the window opening, said member in cross-sectionbeing inclusive of right angularly extending flat'portions one of whichconstitutes the indicating part of the member and the other of asupwhich constitutes a stiffening and supportf ing part for the firstpart, the said second mentioned portion being adapted for slidableengagement with a support located behind the wall.

6. An indicator of the character described comprising a member adaptedto be mounted for movement behind a wallhaving a window opening thereinwhereby difierent por- (ill tions of said member are adapted to beexposed to View through the window opening, said member in cross-sectionbeing inclusive of a vertically disposed flat indicating portion andhorizontal flanges extending rearwardly from the upper and lower edgesof said indicating portion one of which is adapted for slidingengagement with a support located behind the wall, and a handleextending from said member for effecting sliding adjustments thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JOHN RUSSELL CALDWELL.

